MacDonald (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) brought Penn (16-8-2 MMA, 12-7-2 UFC) out of retirement for the fight, which was scheduled for Sept. 22 at UFC 152 in Toronto. But the next battle apparently will be for when and where the fight is rebooked.

MacDonald, in a three-part post on Twitter that included a picture of the cut above his right eyebrow, which he said required 38 stitches, alluded to the hope for a rebooking for UFC 154. That card takes place Nov. 17 on the Canadian’s home turf in Montreal, where he trains at Tristar Gym.

“I was cut at sparring,” MacDonald stated. “I needed (three) layers of stitching. In total I needed 38 stitches. I’m very sad right now that I willl not be healed in time to fight Sept. 22. I am hoping that ?(B.J. Penn) will agree to have the fight on a later date in November.”

Penn, though, has other ideas about when and where to reschedule the welterweight bout – and it’s a long way from being a fight in MacDonald’s backyard in Montreal.

On his own Twitter account, as well as his official website, Penn began the campaign for the fight to take place at UFC 153, which takes place Oct. 13 in Rio de Janeiro.

“I am sorry to hear about the injury to (Rory MacDonald),” Penn stated. “This is a fight that got me out of retirement and one that I was looking forward to. I would like to wish Rory a speedy and healthy recovery and request a postponement of our fight to the Rio card. To Rory, let’s stay with VADA and continue through with the program from now until we fight!”

But Penn later took those thoughts even further on his own site, saying he does not wish to remain on the UFC 152 card against a new opponent – but that MacDonald’s goal of pushing the fight to more than three months from now, and eight weeks from its original date, is not reasonable.

“Rory, with all due respect you challenged me to come out of retirement and I accepted,” Penn stated. “Then, you back out of the fight! Now you want to put our fight off for two more months, but this fight should happen as soon as the cut heals. (Ten) weeks from now is plenty of time. Let’s fight on Oct. 13, that’s more than reasonable.”

Though the UFC has made official MacDonald’s removal from the original fight booking with Penn beyond White’s initial disclosure Saturday at UFC on FOX 4, there has been no word yet from the UFC on what card the two might wind up.

At the fight’s original home at UFC 152, MacDonald got to fight in Canada, but in Toronto, not in his home training ground of Montreal. That fight was sandwiched in the middle of the pay-per-view card, taking third billing to the main event flyweight title fight between Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson and a co-main event middleweight contenders bout between Michael Bisping and Brian Stann.

If the fight were to be rebooked for UFC 153 in Rio, it would have some serious competition for its placement on the main card. That show is headlined by a featherweight title fight between champion Jose Aldo and Erik Koch. But Brazilian favorite Vitor Belfort is on the card against Alan Belcher. And former champ and longtime top draw Quinton “Rampage” Jackson fights up-and-coming Brazilian light heavyweight Glover Teixeira. That card also appears to be complete with 12 fights already on the bill.

There is more wiggle room on the main card for UFC 154, which is expected to feature the welterweight title unification fight between champion Georges St-Pierre – a Montreal native and MacDonald’s training partner at Tristar – and interim champ Carlos Condit. That fight hasn’t been announced, but St-Pierre’s rehab from knee surgery is said to be on schedule. And welterweight contenders Johny Hendricks and Martin Kampmann also are expected to find a home on that card.

Penn has not fought since a loss this past October to Nick Diaz at UFC 137. MacDonald is coming off a dominant second-round TKO of Che Mills in the co-main event of UFC 145 in April, his third consecutive victory.

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.